Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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Convection and steam technologies make the new Ninja Speedi an air fryer and multicooker that's capable of delivering complete meals in 15 minutes. Read More
As an 1,800-watt toaster oven air fryer, this can help you prepare a variety of delicious food products at anywhere from 80 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Read More
While many foods came out as if they were fried, this machine didn't crisp french fries as much as we'd like. Read More
This features a well functioning ClearCook window and mediocre OdorErase technology. But it does well in crisping foods. Read More
When it comes to air frying, this knocked it out of the park. The downside is that this is a big, heavy, machine that's noisier than most. Read More
When the air fryer first came out, it was a revolutionary kitchen gadget. Years later, it's revamped the way people cook. It's now a staple for college students, senior citizens, and everyone in between. If you've been thinking about buying your first air fryer, or upgrading your old one, you're probably thinking: Is the food that much tastier? And healthier? Are newer air fryers really any better than older ones?
We’ve been testing air fryers for years, and we’re here to tell you that you don’t know what you’re missing. The best air fryers on the market today deliver crispy, juicy foods, without extra calories or trans fats. On top of that, they cook food quickly, are easy to use, and they’re a breeze to clean.
Gone are the days when an air fryer only “fried” food. Many of our picks are multifunctional wonders that can steam, bake pizza, or grill a steak—in addition to making delicious french fries and crisping up chicken nuggets in minutes.
In fact, our favorite air fryer, the Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer (available at Amazon) , not only excels at frying food, but it also has nine other additional functions, so it might not ever leave your countertop.
Whether you’re looking for a traditional air fryer, an air fryer toaster oven, or a multicooker that counts air frying among its options, we've got top picks that just might become your new favorite way to cook.
The Ninja Speedi combines many cooking functions into one appliance, but its air fryer function especially shines.
The Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven impressed as the best of its kind that we tested.
The Ninja Air Fryer has four cooking settings: air fry, roast, reheat, and dehydrate.
An air fryer and multi-cooker in one
Digital controls
Food comes out crispy
Very large
Cookbook not helpful
Noisy
The Instant Vortex Plus is a solid air fryer choice, as long as you're willing to do some recipe research.
ClearCook window
Crisps food well
Easy-to-use interface
Lacking manual/recipes
OdorErase technology not effective
The Philips Airfryer XXL performs consistently -- even with large family-size portions.
Huge capacity
No preheat required
Foods come out crispy
Takes up a lot of space
Noisy
Heavy
The Dome is able to crisp up large quantities of food (and a whole pizza) thanks to its generous size.
Quiet
Speedy
Intuitive user experience
Requires significant counter space
Shallow basket
No viewing window
Easy set-up
Compatible with VeSync app
Variety of cooking settings
Crisps food evenly
Bulky size
Food comes out crispy
Simple to operate
Multiple colors available
Controls aren’t digital
Basket is tricky to remove
Parts are not dishwasher safe
Quick cooking and intuitive
Easy to clean
Runs quietly
Large footprint
Prone to overcooking
Cooks food quickly
Straightforward controls
Good original recipes
Lack of features
Not as large as expected
Small
Doesn't require preheating
basket is nonstick and dishwasher safe
Controls aren't digital
Cooks only one-half pound of food well
For starters, it's not actually a fryer, but rather a convection oven that includes a heating element and a high-speed fan that circulates hot air around foods in a basket. Using at most a half-tablespoon of cooking oil, the appliance will brown and crisp up food. However, it doesn't always deliver the same combination of all-over crunchiness and perfect tenderness as frying in oil. These appliances don't require more than a few minutes to preheat, so they deliver the goods faster than deep-frying.
These devices are easy to use and often easy to clean. Always check the manufacturer's instructions, but most will follow these basic procedures:
1. Preheat before cooking. Many air fryers need time to come to temperature before cooking. In general, preheat for 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the fryer.
2. Lay food flat and don't overcrowd the food. Just like conventional frying, overloading your air fryer—especially with frozen foods—could produce soggy or uneven results. Plus, it could also increase the cooking time.
3. Flip while frying. Don't forget to batter and/or bread items properly before dropping them into the air fryer, and be sure to flip your food halfway through the cooking process. Also, keep an eye on your food while it cooks. This will let you adjust timing as necessary and help get you used to your new appliance.
4. Clean the air fryer when you're done. Don’t forget to clean the appliance after you finish cooking and the device has cooled down. Food particles can build up over time and cause issues down the line.
There’s not a simple answer to that question. Cooking food with less oil and by convection is healthier than deep frying something. However, another determining factor is what food you’re preparing. Chicken nuggets and french fries are great in an air fryer, but they’ll never be as good for you as baked chicken and Brussels sprouts.
There are so many great air fryer recipes (especially for families)! Air fryers can do everything from bake, broil, and roast, to reheating casseroles, or even baking desserts.
They are, of course, limited by their size. But if you need an extra oven or don’t want to heat the kitchen with a traditional oven, these countertop appliances are helpful.
Some popular air fryer uses include:
You might be tempted to cover the inside of your air fryer basket with aluminum foil before placing your food in to avoid the annoying post-cook washing process. But you're probably better off nixing any sort of lining.
Technically, you can line your air fryer with aluminum foil (or parchment paper) safely without worrying about the concerns associated with microwaving similar materials. But we still caution against it for gustatory reasons.
Air fryer baskets are designed with openings throughout for optimal airflow. It's the reason that frozen fries and chicken thighs don't come out crispy on top and soggy on the bottom. Covering those holes with a lining of any kind can inhibit that airflow, and result in a meh texture.
Thankfully, most air fryers feature a nonstick basket, and many are even dishwasher safe, to make cleanup so much easier. In our opinion, you're better off ditching the foil and giving your basket a good wash after each use. (Plus, less waste! A win-win.)
In order to test air fryers, we cooked up dozens of batches of french fries and nuggets, as well as Nashville hot chicken and burgers.
To find the best air fryers, we rated these kitchen appliances on how well they cooked fresh (from scratch) and frozen french fries and chicken nuggets, as well as how well each model grilled hamburgers.
Since each air fryer is unique and there are all types on the market now, you’ll be relying on the manual to get started. We checked to see if each explained how to use the product thoroughly, provided guidelines for cooking specific foods, and included recipes.
We also considered how easy it was to use the controls (for both manual and digital air fryers), slide the basket in and out, and clean up.
As you may not use this kitchen gadget daily, we also considered how easy it would be to store and stash away.
Camryn Rabideau is a full-time freelance writer and product tester with eight years of experience. She's been lucky enough to test hundreds of products firsthand, and her specialties include bedding and pet products, which often require help from her two dogs, three cats, and flock of rambunctious chickens.
Sharon Franke
Contributor
Sharon has tested and reviewed kitchen equipment for over 30 years. Before becoming a cooking tools maven, she worked as a professional chef in New York City restaurants.
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